2 Peter 3: God is Not Slow
2 Peter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 7 viewsThe End will certainly come suddenly; therefore, be holy and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning, brothers and sisters. Victor Chong is my name. It is always good to catch up with all of you this morning. If we have not met before, Victor Chong is my name, and I bring you greetings from EDGE Community Church. We are going through our series on the first and second epistles of Peter, and we have finally, finally, come to the last message of this series on 2 Peter chapter 3. The message today is entitled “God is not slow.”
Prayer
Prayer
Let us begin with a word of prayer.
Just a reminder on the background of 1 and 2 Peter. These 2 letters were written by the Apostle Peter to the believers who were exiled by Emperor Claudius in the later half of AD40s, from Rome to Asia Minor, the eastern frontier of the Roman empire, of what is Turkey today. Peter wrote the first letter to encourage the believers to stand firm in face of persecution from outside the church. He wrote the second letter, probably towards the end of his life, to warn the believers of false teachers from within the church.
In 2 Peter chapter 1, Peter reminds his readers, audience, and us, of firstly, the sufficiency of Christ, secondly, our calling to live a life of godliness and brotherly love, and thirdly, the certainty of God’s promise. In chapter 2, Peter warns his audience of the true sinful characters of the false teachers, and the certainty of their judgment.
In this 3rd and final chapter, Peter addresses their false teaching head-on and explain the seeming problem in God’s promise.
2 Peter 3: 1-7: God’s Creative Word
2 Peter 3: 1-7: God’s Creative Word
1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Peter starts his letter by reminding them the purpose of his writing to them in 2 Peter 3:1
1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
Peter writes to stir up, wake up his audience to think through the false teaching with a pure and sincere mind; and he does this by reminding them, first of all, the holy prophets and the apostles have predicted that in the last days, scoffers and mockers will come; 2 Peter 3:2-3
2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
And here, for the first and only time, Peter refers directly to the teaching of the false teachers, whom he calls “scoffers”; 2 Peter 3:4
4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
The false teachers are scoffing and mocking the apostles and the true teachers of the church. They are saying, “It has been years and years since Jesus died, where now is his second coming? Where are all his promises? One whole generation has passed on, and Jesus is no where to be seen, and his promises not fulfilled! Everything goes on as they have always been. What is the point of Christianity?”
Well, we have waited for over 2000 years; and Jesus has not come back yet; and some of his promises are not fulfilled, yet. Should we give up on this whole thing about Jesus and Christianity?
First of all, Peter reminds his audience, and us today, that the apostles have predicted that scoffers and mockers will come in the last day. Here Peter is probably referring to Jude, who wrote on exactly this same topic of false teachers in his letter.
Then Peter offers us the assurance of the certainty of God’s words in the following 3 verses, 2 Peter 3:5-7
5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Peter reminded us that God created the whole universe by his word. In Genesis chapters 1 and 2, God spoke and the universe was created. In Genesis chapter 1, Moses recorded the phrase, “And God said” 8 times, and by these the whole universe was created. Peter reminds us that it is “by the same word of God that the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire” in verse 7. What Peter is saying is that, look around us - do we see the earth and the sky, the trees and the fields, the sun and the moon and the stars and the universe? All of these are created by God’s spoken word. And if so, then when God speaks of the future, the End Times, His word created the future, the End Times. Here’s Peter’s point - when God spoke of the future, the End Time, He is not only telling us what is to come; he literally created that Future - that End Time by the creative power of His word, just as He created the whole universe by the same power of His words. Therefore, it will surely come; as surely as the earth and the sky exist.
2 Peter 3: 8-10: God’s Mercy
2 Peter 3: 8-10: God’s Mercy
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Well, why then the wait? Why the delay?
In 2 Peter 3:8
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Peter here quotes from Psalm 90:4
4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
Peter again reminded us from Genesis - God created the whole universe - including the dimension of time. God, therefore, is outside the time dimension. Time has no effect on God; and this has to be, because before time even existed, God was. And if God is outside the time dimension, then to God, one day or a thousand years, makes no impact on God - He is not one day older or younger. He is the same after one day or a thousand year.
And God is not slow in fulfilling his promise - even if he keeps us waiting for 2000 years and more; he is not slow, because time has no effect on him. Rather, he is patient, because he is giving us time to repent, to return to him, as in 2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
But make no mistake; the End Time will come; the day of the Lord will come; suddenly, like a thief, that surprises everyone of us; it will come suddenly and with a loud bang, as in 2 Peter 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
2 Peter 3:11-18: Call to Holiness
2 Peter 3:11-18: Call to Holiness
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Peter reminds us that the world as we know it will be destroyed by fire, in 2 Peter 3:11-12
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
And there will be a new heaven and a new earth, in which the righteous will dwell in, in 2 Peter 3:13
13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Peter urges us here to transform our mind, our perspective, our way of thinking. If this world is passing away, how greatly necessarily it is for us to conduct our lives in holiness and godliness; while we wait for, and hasten the coming of the day of judgment. Now, how do we do that? How do we conduct our lives in holiness and godliness? Peter give us 4 imperatives these last 5 verses here - 4 things that he asks us to do, the 4 applications of the letter of 2 Peter:
Make every effort to be found spotless and blameless in Christ, so as to be found at peace with Christ, 2 Peter 3:14
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
Διό, ἀγαπητοί, ταῦτα προσδοκῶντες σπουδάσατε ἄσπιλοι καὶ ⸀ἀμώμητοι αὐτῷ εὑρεθῆναι ἐν εἰρήνῃ
Since God will judge all of us, we are to try our level best to avoid every and all sins.
2. Count, regard, consider God’s patience by giving us time to repent, in 2 Peter 3:15
15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
καὶ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ⸀ἡμῶν μακροθυμίαν σωτηρίαν ἡγεῖσθε, καθὼς καὶ ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸς Παῦλος κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ σοφίαν ἔγραψεν ὑμῖν,
Peter wants us to know that God is holy, he does not tolerate sin; and if we don’t see his judgment now, it is because he is patient with us; he is giving us a second chance to come clean, to repent.
3. Keep or guard ourselves, our lives, our conduct closely from the errors of the false teacher, in 2 Peter 3:17
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
Ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, προγινώσκοντες φυλάσσεσθε, ἵνα μὴ τῇ τῶν ἀθέσμων πλάνῃ συναπαχθέντες ἐκπέσητε τοῦ ἰδίου στηριγμοῦ,
Since we know beforehand that there are false teachers, who are lawless and who will lead us astray, we are to guard our lives, our conducts closely.
4. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, in 2 Peter 3:18
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
And finally, take steps to grow spiritually - to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - by reading the Bible, by studying the Bible so that we may grow in the knowledge of Jesus; and by loving our neighbours, by being a blessing to everyone around us so that the grace and blessing of Jesus may grow and overflow in our lives to everyone around us.
Summary
Summary
DH Lawrence, the famous English novelist and poet once said, “If only we could live two lives: the first in which to make one’s mistakes, and the second in which to profit by them.”
As Christians, we do live 2 lives - one, now, on earth; the next in heaven, but we could only profit from the mistakes of the first life if we know we have made those mistakes. That is, only if we realise our mistakes and are repentant of them; only that would make our second life be profitable. How do we do that? Peter reminds us to try our level best to avoid sins, grow in our knowledge of Jesus, and grow in the grace of Jesus, to be more like him daily.
Closing prayer
Closing prayer
Let us close with a word of prayer.
